Finger pick for stringed musical instruments

ABSTRACT

A finger pick comprising the conventional string-actuating part of sheet material and tapering conformation; and extending in opposite directions from the base of said tapering part means for securing the pick to the player&#39;&#39;s finger tips in the form of annular wings. Segments of the outer edges of said wings, i.e., the edges opposite the side where the string-actuating part is located, are flared outwardly with respect to the center line of the annulus defined by said wings to reduce discomfort to, and tiring of, the fingers during use of the pick formerly caused by the outer edges of the wings cutting into the back of the player&#39;&#39;s fingers in reaction to the force applied to the strings of the instrument through the string-actuating part of the pick.

United States Patent [1 1 Dunlop I FINGER PICK FOR STRINGED MUSICALINSTRUMENTS [76] Inventor: James Dunlop,126 Dartmouth Place, Benicia,Calif. 94510 [22] Filed: Nov. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 307,484

Moores 84/322 v Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson AssistantExaminer-Pat Salce Attorney-Kurt A. Tauchen 7] ABSTRACT A finger pickcomprising the conventional stringactuating part of sheet material andtapering conformation; and extending in opposite directions from thebase of said tapering part means for securing the pick to the player'sfinger tips in the form of annular wings. Segments of the outer edges ofsaid wings, i.e., the edges opposite the side where the string-actuatingpart is located, are flared outwardly with respect to the center line ofthe annulus defined by said wings to reduce discomfort to, and tiringof, the fingers during use of the pick formerly caused by the outeredges of the wings cutting into the back of the players fingers inreaction to the force applied to the strings of the instrument throughthe string-actuating part of the pick.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented June 19, 1973 FINGER PICK FORSTRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS The present invention relates to fingerpicks for musical instruments, i.e., devices worn on the finger tips ofplayers of guitars, banjos, mandolinas and the like to actuate, i.e.,depress or pluck, the strings of such instruments. Such finger picks areusually made of sheet material, such as sheet metal, and comprise afingerreceiving part for attachment to the players fingers, and astring'actuating part for depressing or plucking the strings of theinstrument. The latter part is usually of tapering conformation, and thepart for attachment to the player's fingers may have the form of twoarcuate or annular wings that project in opposite directions fromopposite sides of the base'of the tapering stringactuating part.

The finger-receiving wings of the described device have to be fairlytight to safely retain the device on the players fingers during play.The present invention is based upon the discovery'that during prolongeduse the outer edges of these wings, i.e., edges on the side opposite towhere the tapering stringactuating part projects, cut into the playersfingers under the reaction of the force applied to the strings of theinstrument through the string-actuating part, causing discomfort andeven pain which tire the player prematurely.

It is an object of my invention to arrange the fingerattaching means ofpicks, of the type here under consideration, in such a manner that theydo not tire the player.

More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide fingerattachment means for picks, of the type referred to, that do not cutinto or cause any other discomfort to the players fingers even afterprolonged hard use of the pick.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a finger pick formusical instruments, that may easily and painlessly be slipped intoposition on the players fingers.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description of the accompanying drawing which illustratesa preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective of a finger pick embodying myinvention viewed from a point in front of the pick and showing theplayers finger in phantom lines; and

FIG. 2 is another enlarged perspective of the finger pick of myinvention viewed from a point at the rear of the pick.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross section through the pick taken across line3 3 of FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows associated withsaid line.

In accordance with the invention the outer upper edge, or segments ofthe outer upper edge of the annu-- lar part for attachment of the pickto the players fingers isflared outwardly to a slight degree (withrespect to the center line of the annulus defined by said part) to forma shallow lip. Thus, when the annular attachment part of the pick ispushed backwardly onto the players finger under the reaction of theforce applied to the strings of the instrument through the stringactuating part of the pick, the outer edge ot the finger attachmentpartcannot bite into and cause discomfort or pain to the players finger.

Having reference to the drawing, the numeral 10 identifies the bodyportion or pick proper" of the pick which is made of a suitable sheetmaterial such as a sheet of plastic material but preferably sheet metal,such as a sheet of silver nickel alloy. It is of tapering conformationand in practical use underlies the players finger tip with its point 12projecting a limited distance beyond the players finger tips, as shownin FIG. 1. To attach the pick removably to the players finger tips,annular or arcuate wingsl4a and 14b project in opposite directions fromthe base l5 of the conical body 10 to form a split annulus or sheathinto which the player's finger may he slipped and which fits snuglyover'the players finger. Openings 16 may be provided in the body portion10 of the pick and its annular wings 14a and 14b to increase theresilient flexibility of the device and admit air to the finger tip ofthe player thus reducing the tendency of the finger tip to perspireduring the effort of the play. For the player to use the deviceeffectively in depressing the strings of instruments such as guitars,mandolinas, banjos and the like, the device must fit the finger rathertightly, and in response to the pressure exerted by the players fingersupon the strings of the instrument during play, the outer edge of theannular wings 14a and 14b of the device, i.e., the edge of the annularattachment means of the device on the side opposite to where thetapering body portion 10 of the pick is located, bites into the back ofthe players fingers. In time this is a source of discomfort and may evenbe painful; in any case it causes premature tiring of the playersfingers during prolonged performances. In accordnace with the invention,therefore, the outer edges of the annular wings 14a and 14b of the pickwhich overlie the backs of the players fingers, are slightly flaredoutwardly with respect to the center axis of the annulus defined by thewings 14a and 14b, as shown at 18a and 18 b, so that they cannot cutinto the backs of the players finger tips but form shallow lips thatbear gently against the players fingers in response to-the pressurebrought to bear against the strings of the musical instrument by thepick proper 10 of the device of my invention. In addition the outwardlyflared lip 18a and 18b along the outer edges of the annular attachmentmeans of the pick of my invention act as a funnel that makes it easierand more comfortable for the player to slip the pick upon his fingertips. As shown in the drawing, the outwardly flare lips 18a and 18balong the outer edge of the annular wings 14a and 14b of the device ofmy invention are preferably located along the segments of the outer wingedges close to the end edges 20a and 20b thereof, but they may extendalong the total circumference of the outer wing edges and may reach intothe end edges 20a and 20b of said wings.

I claim:

1. A finger pick for stringed musical instruments such as guitars,mandolinas and banjos comprising a stringoperating part of taperingconformation, having a point and a base, and extending in oppositedirections from said base annular wings for attachment of the pick tothe player's finger, said wings having inner edges on the side of saidtapering string-depressing part, outer edges on the opposite side andend edges between said outer and inner side edges, segments of saidouter edges being flared outwardly with respect to the center line ofthe annulus defined by said wings.

2. A finger pick according to claim ll wherein said outwardly flarededge segments are located adjacent to and extend over into said endedges.

actuating part and outer edges on the opposite side, segments of saidouter edges being flared outwardly with respect of the center axis ofthe annulus defined by said finger attachment means, to form shallowlips.

1. A finger pick for stringed musical instruments such as guitars,mandolinas and banjos comprising a string-operating part of taperingconformation, having a point and a base, and extending in oppositedirections from said base annular wings for attachment of the pick tothe player''s finger, said wings having inner edges on the side of saidtapering string-depressing part, outer edges on the opposite side andend edges between said outer and inner side edges, segments of saidouter edges being flared outwardly with respect to the center line ofthE annulus defined by said wings.
 2. A finger pick according to claim 1wherein said outwardly flared edge segments are located adjacent to andextend over into said end edges.
 3. A finger pick for stringed musicalinstruments comprising a string-actuating part having a point and abase, and at the base of said string-actuating part annular means forattachment of the pick to the player''s fingers having inner edges onthe side of the string-actuating part and outer edges on the oppositeside, segments of said outer edges being flared outwardly with respectof the center axis of the annulus defined by said finger attachmentmeans, to form shallow lips.